Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry Hasanuddin University Dentist Makassar, Indonesia

The main objective of caries prevention programs in the community is to reduce the number of colonies of cariogenic
bacteria, especially Streptococcus. A method of caries preventionthat is currently developed is a method using probiotics
through yogurt. This research is a laboratory based experiment using the cross over with control group design. Fifteen
samples were collected randomly from a population of preclinical dentistry students of Hasanuddin University from
entry year 2008 until 2010. The results showed a significant difference between before and after drinking yogurt where
the number of colonies of cariogenic bacteria in saliva reduced (p<0.05)and there is also a significant difference
between the temperature of the yogurt in reducing the average number of cariogenic bacteria in the saliva after six and
nine days yogurt consumption (p<0.05). In addition, there is a significant difference pH of saliva between before and
after drinking yoghurt (p <0.05). It is concluded that drinking yogurt reducts colony of cariogenic bacteria in young
adult saliva